Finley Read galleon to join Pirate fleet

It didn't take long for Dave Bullock to name his latest swashbuckling creation in honor of another legendary figure at Lumberton High School.

An N.C. State football standout, avid fisherman and multi-sport coach for the Pirates, Finley Read was a close friend of the late Tunney Brooks and shared three decades with the NCHSAA Hall of Famer molding youth and mentoring others for the Pirates.

"So far, this is a very well-kept secret," Bullock said. "We're going to give him the ship as a memento for the influence and lives he touched in our area."

Read lives with his wife, Ruth, in Santee, S.C. and according to Bullock, hasn't heard about the next Pirate ship that will be an exact half-scale replica of Brooks' San Francisco II memorial at the school. Unlike Brooks' maroon and gold galleon, Read's ship -- complete with a skull and crossbones flag, brass cannons and captain's quarters -- will be displayed in the comfort of his own home.

The news comes with a disclaimer.

"I want to warn all readers and friends of Finley not to spoil the surprise," Bullock said. "Ruth assures me that anything published on the Internet is safe to discuss and that she will hide the story when it appears in the newspaper. Finley once told me he doesn't mess with computers."

Bullock, a retiree, spends a few hours a day working on models and says he is "95 percent" done with his eighth ship. Though noticeably smaller than his previous mammoth creation at Lumberton, the intricacies of tying the Finley Read's rat lines, channels and lanyards was still an arduous task.

"Every one of these old pirate ships is challenging," he said. "But this one was done in a more timely fashion. I'm used to making ships now. As long as I don't have yard work, I can spend hours working on these things."

Two years ago, Bullock completed his first Lumberton Pirate ship in honor of Brooks, a longtime coach and athletic director at the school.

Tucked inside a display case outside of Brooks' former office, Bullock's creation based off of a Spanish galleon sits on a perch for all to see, exemplifying the legacy left by the local icon. Brooks and Read spent 28 years at Lumberton including 16 on the sideline as part of the school's athletic staff.

Brooks died last week after a long bout with cancer.

"We're all so glad we got to spend two and a half more years with Tunney after his health started to decline," Bullock said. "We can't duplicate the kind of project we did for Coach Brooks with this new ship, but we hope it means a lot to Coach Read from the Lumberton family."

Production began on the Finley Read shortly after an unveiling for the Brooks model. A Pirate pioneer in his own right, Read, like Brooks, made a substantial impact at Lumberton both in the classroom and on the field. The school's baseball diamond now bears his name.

"To be real honest, I felt bad after the thing we did with Tunney's ship since the two are like Batman and Robin at Lumberton," Bullock said. "More than a few former players and teammates told me I should've put both of their names on it. So I began making one just for Coach Read."

Current Pirate baseball coach Paul Hodges, now in his 22nd season, first met Read in 1990 after graduating from UNCP. Lumberton gave Hodges his first prep coaching position and a baseball mentor to boot.

"Finley's always had a great reputation with the kids," Hodges said. "The kids that played for me would talk to him at practice, off-season workouts and after games. Both Finley and Tunney had that presence. Both have that authority that commands respect."

Read's grandson, Mac, played for Hodges from 2004-06 and dominated opposing hitters in the Two Rivers Conference. The hard-throwing lefty remains one of the top players Hodges has ever coached.

"Finley and I didn't get real close until I coached Mac, probably Robeson County's all-time winningest pitcher," Hodges said. "I think he has two Slugfest MVPs and was a conference player of the year. Finley's always been interested in our program but I think I really got to know him and built a relationship with him during that time."

Bullock's latest model is expected to set sail in June during a special ceremony for Read.

You can follow the ship's progress, leave a lasting remark or contribute to the UNCP scholarship fund for Tunney Brooks at http://www.finleyreadproject.blogspot.com.